PDP Convention  jeopardy as the court rules on Secondus’ lawsuit today

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) convention scheduled for tomorrow is in jeopardy following the Court of Appeal’s decision today to rule on an appeal filed by Prince Uche Secondus, the party’s suspended national chairman.

An Appeal Court in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, reserved judgment in the case between Secondus and six PDP members for today.

Secondus, in his CA/PH/339 appeal, asks the court to prevent the PDP from holding its national convention on October 30 and 31, 2021.

Following his feud with Rivers State Governor Nyesom Wike, the embattled former chairman was pushed out. Delegates from across the country have arrived in Abuja for the convention.

Secondus had petitioned the court, through his lawyer, Payo Oyetubo, to suspend the convention and grant him the right to preside over the exercise.

Read Also:  NYSC trust fund will lift 100m Nigerians out of poverty – CSO

When the case was heard in court on Tuesday, six PDP members who had joined the case informed the judge of their application for joinder, which was not opposed by counsel for Secondus.

The three-man appeal panel granted the party members permission to join.

After hearing arguments from both parties, the appeal panel, led by Justice Haruna Simon Isammani, directed the plaintiff’s counsel to serve the process on the defendant’s counsel within 24 hours.

Previously, counsel for the PDP, S.I. Ameh, had opposed Secondus’ counsel’s application and urged the court to dismiss the case on the grounds that the counsel sought the suspension of the convention.

After adopting the written address from the legal counsel for Secondus, Tayo Oyetibi, and 11 respondents, Justice Haruna adjourned the case until today. The development has heightened tensions within the country’s main opposition party.

When contacted, the party’s chairman of the Board of Trustees (BoT), Sen Walid Jibrin, stated that the suit does not pose a threat to the convention.

“Despite the adjournment,” Senator Jibrin said, “the PDP is not threatened and is hopeful that the convention will take place on Saturday.”

Meanwhile, the chairman of the convention’s organizing committee, Adamawa State Governor Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri, declared yesterday that the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) will cease to exist following the conclusion of the PDP convention.

In addition, four PDP governors met yesterday with Olusegun Mimiko, a former governor of Ondo State, to discuss his proposed move to join the party.

Read Also:  In Kano, police apprehend 59 people and recover arms

Governors Seyi Makinde (Oyo), Aminu Tambuwal (Sokoto), Nyesom Wike (Rivers), and Okezie Ikpeazu (Abia) met with Mimiko behind closed doors in Akure.

At the conclusion of the meeting, Tambuwal, speaking on behalf of the governors, stated that they were in Ondo to re-unite Mimiko with the PDP.

He stated that they had a thorough meeting with Mimiko and that he was confident he would join them.